Living
by syntheticxsunshine
Summary: Sirius is sliding recklessly down the railing of a huge staircase. Regulus has a few words to say to him at the bottom, but Sirius replies otherwise. Drabble, MWPP era.


**Living**

By SXS

Disclaimer: I don't own any copyrighted aspects of this story, nor did I intend any copyright infringement.

* * *

As a first year, Regulus Black had quite a hard time finding out the fastest ways to class, avoiding havoc-wreaking Peeves, and manage to stay alive without seriously injuring himself at Hogwarts. So far, it was proving to be a bit difficult, but not that terrible. He had stayed out of trouble, hadn't gotten a detention so far (although it was only the first few weeks), and made safe, smart choices. For a first year, he was getting along quite well.

It was a Tuesday morning, and Regulus had woken up a tad later than he had wanted to. He had stuffed his books hastily in his knapsack, and hastily headed upstairs for his first class of the day. He walked extra-slow when passing by Filch, the caretaker, and avoided eye contact with all the more intimidating-looking older students. Yes, Regulus did play it quite safe. But there were consequences if you didn't.

"LOOK OUT, TWITS!"

Regulus jerked his head to see his brother, Sirius, sliding down the spiraling staircase on its railing. His hair was blowing around crazily, and he wasn't even using his wand to keep balance. Sirius was going faster and faster, and Regulus couldn't help but feel nauseous just watching; dizzying spirals and speeding up as you went just wasn't his thing. It was too risky; too dangerous. Sirius was practically risking his life for some fun, and Regulus was appalled.

Suddenly, Sirius slipped.

Regulus cried out in shock, hoping that someone would slow his brother's fall, or that he wouldn't be hurt too badly…. Despite being in different Houses (Regulus in Slytherin, and Sirius in Gryffindor), Regulus still cared a lot about his brother, and his brother was about to get hurt!

"_Wingardium Leviosa_!" exclaimed Sirius, pointing his wand at himself. His fall immediately stopped a few feet from the floor, and Sirius managed to get up without any injuries.

"Mr. Black!" shrieked the voice of Professor McGonagall, who had also seen Sirius. "How dare you endanger your life like that? Ten points from Gryffindor!" She looked like she was about to continue, but a few sixth years had been practicing Apparation, and there was a pair of legs and an ear lying on the ground, and she had to hurry on over. Sirius grinned; relieved he didn't get a detention. He noticed Regulus.

"Hey Reg," he greeted casually, as if he hadn't just slid down three stories in a matter of minutes. "Where are you headed?"

"Sirius!" gasped Regulus, still worried, "You could've gotten killed like that!"

"Reg—"

"I'm serious!"

Sirius shot him a bemused look and replied, "No, I am."

Regulus rolled his eyes; he'd heard that line about a thousand times, and persisted, "Honestly Sirius, you could've really hurt yourself, and there'd be terrible consequences, I mean, really…"

"Reg," Sirius replied, placing his hands on his brother's shaking shoulders. "What would they be, tell me. If I hurt myself, Madam Pomfrey could fix in it an instant. If points were taken off from Gryffindor, it wouldn't be substantial—I was about to kill anyone. And if I got a detention, it would be worth it."

"What are you saying?!" Regulus exclaimed, as if nothing was worse than a detention. "Don't you know what Mum and Dad would say about acting like that?"

"There's a part of existence," Sirius said slowly, thinking of his words, "called _living_. I have fun; I live, Reg. I don't really give a damn with Mum and Dad think, or what you think, for that matter. I do what I want, what I think matters. Because really, no one's going to live your life for you--and you've only got one. If you choose to be all safe and cautious all the time, and not have fun, so be it. But you're _Sirius_sly missing out." Sirius winked, and headed off to his Potions class.

Regulus stood there, not knowing whether to head on to Transfiguration, or climb the stairs just to slide back down, just like has brother had. Maybe even break the rules, despite what their parents said. For fun. For _living_.

In the end, he continued on to Transfiguration.


End file.
